The ISPA Cross-National Children's Rights Research Project

Abstract

The recognized importance of acquiring and applying the perspectives of children and youth about conditions affecting their lives has significantly increased through growing support for children's rights during the last period of the 20th century. This article presents an overview of an evolving program of surveying the judgements of children and significant adults in their lives regarding the importance and existence of children's rights in homes and schools. During the last 12 years this project has been conducted in 23 nations representing quite diverse conditions. The history, purposes, design, process and general all-country composite findings for the project are provided. Cross-country patterns are identified for some topics judged to be particularly important for school psychologists. Evidence that the school environment, in general, appears to be a place of harsher and less supportive treatment than the home is considered. The article concludes with rationale and plans for refining and expanding this project so that the voices of children will be heard through a systematic and credible program of research.